Sunday Shocker… Ahmadinejad Calls For the End of Israel

by Gateway Pundit | 9:38 am, May 3, 2009

Ahmadinejad is out campaigning for the upcoming regime election. Here is a banner from one of his rallies. (ISNA)

Ahmadinejad called today for the Zionist regime to be uprooted.
Fars News reported:

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday called on certain world powers which played a role in the creation of the Zionist regime to dismantle the regime or accept arrangement of a referendum to determine the fate of the occupied Palestine by its own residents.

Addressing a large gathering of people in the city of Karaj in Tehran province, Ahmadinejad referred to Israel’s deadline to the Palestinians to leave their houses, and said the regime aims to force the oppressed Palestinian people to leave their houses while the UN Secretary General and those who claim to be advocates of democracy and human rights do not hear the voice of the Palestinians.

“If bullying powers don’t desist from (their) crimes, they should know that nations will uproot them,” he added.

Addressing the bullying powers, Ahmadinejad said, “You have always defended the Zionist regime and called Palestinians’ elected government terrorist for showing resistance and defending their rights, but the era for the bullying of your fake regime has come to its end and you have no choice but to accept the reality.”

Speaker Pelosi Blocks Investigations of Corrupt Democrats

by Gateway Pundit | 9:05 am, May 3, 2009

Goodbye, democracy… Hello, tinpot dictatorship…
This should be headlines in every major newspaper.
But, it isn’t. No wonder they’re going under.

Speaker Pelosi is actively working to block federal investigations of corrupt democrats.
The Washington Times reported:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is working to buffer lawmakers from federal investigators. This is a bad idea. Special legal protections for politicians encourage unethical conduct.

Irvin B. Nathan, general counsel of the House of Representatives, sent a letter to Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. on Monday about establishing a protocol on how to handle “hopefully rare searches and electronic surveillance involving members of Congress.” Mr. Nathan previously failed to negotiate such an agreement with the George W. Bush administration when Republicans controlled the House. His return to this effort isn’t surprising given the number of congressional Democrats facing accusations of ethical misconduct.

Democrats facing scrutiny include the chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania, for his close ties to the defense lobby firm PMA Group, which is under federal investigation; House Ways and Means Chairman Charles B. Rangel of New York about a number of tax issues; Rep. Jesse L. Jackson Jr. of Illinois over his reported effort to persuade ousted Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich to appoint him to fill President Obama’s former Senate seat; and Rep. Jane Harman of California, who reportedly was taped in 2005 by the National Security Agency purportedly agreeing to help seek leniency for two accused Israeli spies in exchange for help in lobbying her appointment to chair the House Intelligence Committee.

Mrs. Pelosi, California Democrat, on Thursday invoked the separation of powers as justification for the move. Mrs. Pelosi, who has acknowledged being aware previously of Mrs. Harman’s controversial dialogue, claims the stance is a matter of principle. “Whether it’s invading an office or wiretapping a conversation, it’s important for us to have the separation of powers and the respect for individual liberties, again, while not harboring information that would be useful under the speech [or] debate clause,” she said.

Glenn Reynolds adds:

And don’t forget Pete Visclosky, Jim Moran, Allen Mollohan, etc. I know, I know — there are so many it’s hard to keep track!

So much for draining the Swamp.

Dispelling Facebook Membership as Motive to Scott McInnis Voicemail Story

by Ben DeGrow | 9:07 pm, May 2, 2009

Can’t help but say that I’m a bit disappointed in the Grand Junction Sentinel for the shoddy article and headline erroneously equating the Facebook group membership of my colleagues Todd Shepherd and Justin Longo with support of Josh Penry.
On the other hand, the Dead Guvs’ complicity in their own headline writing and truly bizarre [...]

Former GOP VP Candidate Jack Kemp Dies

by Gateway Pundit | 8:43 pm, May 2, 2009

Jack Kemp dies after a long battle with cancer.
Breaking AP news:

Jack Kemp, the ex-quarterback, congressman, one-time vice-presidential nominee and self-described “bleeding-heart conservative” died Saturday.

Kemp announced in January that he had cancer.
Kemp was 73.

“Rocky Times for Colorado News Media” panel discussion recap

by The Peripatetic Pundit | 8:00 pm, May 2, 2009

“What forces in America’s economy and culture are threatening the survival of newspapers and diverting audiences to other information sources? What are the consequences for us as citizens in a free society?” Former Rocky Mountain News alternating ombudsmen David Kopel and Jason Salzman led a short (one-hour) discussion on the topic of declining newspaper readership [...]

GOP Weekly Radio Address: 100 Days of Spending, Taxing & Borrowing

by Gateway Pundit | 7:26 pm, May 2, 2009

Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) delivered the Weekly Republican Address on the outrageous spending, tax increases and irresponsibly borrowing that marked President Obama’s first 100 days. She also noted the Republican solutions to curb spending, create jobs, and control the debt that don’t seem to get much play from the media.

Jenkins also proudly reported that no GOP Representatives have voted for the democrat’s disastrous spending bills:

Rep. Lynn Jenkins smacks Obama and Democrats on their disastrous first 100 days.
All Headline News reported:

Issuing its weekly address just days after President Barack Obama marked his 100th day, the GOP warned that fiscal plans passed by the administration in its first quarter in office will add more to the nation’s debt than those of past presidents in the last two centuries.

“The pace that Democrats in Congress and the White House are spending your tax dollars is simply staggering,” Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) said, delivering the address. “I know a thing or two about handling taxpayer dollars. I was the state treasurer in Kansas for six years before I came to Congress, and before that I practiced public accounting as a certified public accountant for nearly two decades. So trust me when I say Washington’s books are a mess.”

“In the last few weeks, we’ve heard about plenty of ‘stimulus’ waste. Taxpayer dollars earmarked for a homeless program in a town with no homeless problem. Millions to extend an ‘Artwalk’ in New York… His bill was supposed to be about jobs, but it’s gone off the rails in practically no time at all,” she added.

Obama had signed the stimulus, or the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), into law in February amid Republican criticisms about the cost of the legislation and the “permanent expansion” of some government programs.

Only three Republican senators and not a single GOP congressman had voted to pass the bill, even after a bipartisan effort to trim down the legislation and to include Republican amendments.

Vice President Joe Biden has been tasked to coordinate with governors and to oversee the implementation of the stimulus, which the administration has posted on a website, recovery.gov, as part of its commitment transparency.

The White House had also appointed Earl Devaney as head of its Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability Board, but Devaney told Congress in testimony in March that he had yet to have a real office and that he felt that he had “arrived at the train station and the train had already left.”

Earlier this week, Congress passed the President’s $3.5 trillion budget proposal for 2010 with no Republican votes. Democrats say the massive legislation cuts the deficit by two-thirds by 2014, and includes investments in renewable energy, education and healthcare reform that the nation “cannot do without.”

But the GOP has said the measure would increase taxes for small businesses already burdened with the recession. They also say a cap-and-trade system that will require companies to buy carbon emissions permits from the federal government will cost every American household $3,100 a year.

House Republicans were hoping to pass an alternative budget proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), the ranking minority member in the House Budget Committee, but the measure was defeated, with 38 Republicans voting against it. In the Senate, an alternative from Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) also failed to gain the support of centrist GOP and was rejected by a vote of 38-60.

“I think the Democrats’ first 100 days running Washington can be summed up in three words: spending, taxing, and borrowing,” Jenkins, a member of the House Financial Services Committee, said in the address. “The plans they’ve passed in the first 100 days will add more to our nation’s public debt than all previous presidents combined in 200 plus years.”

“Republicans are fighting for middle-class families and small businesses every day here in Washington. And we are ready to work in a bipartisan way on real solutions to create jobs, rebuild your savings, and get our economy moving again. Let’s hope the Democrats in charge are as well,” she added.

Israel’s New US Ambassador Understands Obama is Anti-Israel (Video)

by Gateway Pundit | 2:42 pm, May 2, 2009

This is good news for the future of Israel.
Micharl Oren, the newly appointed ambassador to the US, understands that the Obama Administration is clearly anti-Israel.

Michael B. Oren, a professor at Georgetown University and distinguished fellow at the Shalem Center in Jerusalem, spoke at the JINSA 2008 Fall Board Meeting on December 9, 2008.
He spoke on the possible dangers ahead for Israel during the Obama years:

Via LGF

Obama attended a church for 20 years that was anti-Israel and has a long history of associating with anti-Semitic personalities.

Ruh-Roh… Obama Approval Index Drops 27 Points– Down to 1

by Gateway Pundit | 11:38 am, May 2, 2009

Barack Obama’s approval index rating fell to 1 point this week.
That’s a 27 point drop in 100 days!
*Gulp*

This follows the news that the radical president’s popularity during his first 100 days is right in the middle of the scores other new presidents received from the public over the past 60 years.

Rasmussen reported:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Saturday shows that 33% of the nation’s voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-two percent (32%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of +1.

Obama’s numbers may be just average– But the propaganda from the media is above average.

Dear Leader Threatens Chrysler Investors With White House Press Corps

by Gateway Pundit | 10:44 am, May 2, 2009

Goodbye Democracy– Hello Tinpot Dictatorship…
Team Obama is now warning businesses to agree to their anti-business plans or face total destruction by his pals in the White House Press Corps.

Mark Levin discussed this outrageous White House action during his show yesterday:

Island Turtle has the transcript from a recent interview with bankruptcy attorney Tom Lauria on local Detroit radio. Lauria claims White House officials had threatened to use the “the full force of the White House Press Corps to destroy” his client’s reputation if they did not acquiesce to highly unfavorable terms of the proposed Chrysler restructuring plan:

Lauria: Let me tell you it’s no fun standing on this side of the fence opposing the President of the United States. In fact, let me just say, people have asked me who I represent. That’s a moving target. I can tell you for sure that I represent one less investor today than I represented yesterday. One of my clients was directly threatened by the White House and in essence compelled to withdraw its opposition to the deal under the threat that the full force of the White House Press Corps would destroy its reputation if it continued to fight. That’s how hard it is to stand on this side of the fence.

Beckman: Was that Perella Weinberg?

Lauria: That was Perella Weinberg.

More… Power Line added this:

On Thursday, I wrote about the banana republic capitalism that we are experiencing under the Obama administration. In connection with the Chrysler bankruptcy, Obama, ignoring laws that assign priority to secured creditors, has tried to bully lenders into abandoning their legal rights in favor of the United Auto Workers Union. To my knowledge, there is no precedent for this sort of arrogant lawlessness in American history. (Germany, Italy and Argentina are familiar with it.)

Hat Tip Tom W.

Change. Obama Brings Back Military Trials He Opposed

by Gateway Pundit | 9:02 am, May 2, 2009

Candidate Barack Obama promised to shut down the military tribunals of Gitmo detainees.
Obama wanted US trials for the Islamic terrorists.

His first day in office Obama announced that he would close Gitmo and put a halt to the military tribunals:

But after reviewing things President Thin-Skin has decided that tribunals are the way to go.
The New York Times reported:

The Obama administration is moving toward reviving the military commission system for prosecuting Guantánamo detainees, which was a target of critics during the Bush administration, including Mr. Obama himself.

Jules Crittenden gets a good laugh out of this latest flip-flop.

Roe v. Wade

by David K. Williams, Jr. | 8:21 am, May 2, 2009

Now that Barack Obama must make his first nominee to the United States Supreme Court, pundits will revisit Roe v. Wade. I am not sure why, since there can be no doubt Obama’s nominee will agree with his predecessor, David Souter, that the decision should stand. But Obama will be asked about it. He already has.

As a candidate for the White House, [Obama] said he would not use a litmus test for nominees but observed that he thought the landmark 1973 Roe vs. Wade ruling that gave women the right to end their pregnancies was correctly decided.

David Souter’s Replacement

by David K. Williams, Jr. | 7:59 am, May 2, 2009

From the AP:

He’s Ba-ack… Mookie Al-Sadr Makes First Appearance In 2 Years

by Gateway Pundit | 10:21 pm, May 1, 2009

Radical Iraqi Cleric Muqtada al-Sadr made his first public appearance in two years today.
He’s kept a low profile since his Mahdi Army got thumped by the Iraqi Army last year.

In this handout picture received from the Prime Minister’s press office, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (right) sits alongside Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr as they pose for a photograph prior to a meeting in Ankara on May 1. Sadr — not seen in public for nearly two years — held face-to-face talks Friday with Turkey’s top two leaders, Anatolia news agency reported. (AFP/Yasin Aras)

The Telegraph reported:

Moqtada al-Sadr, one of the most radical figures in Iraqi politics, made his first public appearance for two years when he paid a surprise visit to Turkey.

Mr Sadr, a Shia extremist who leads the Mahdi Army militia, is believed to have spent the last two years in Iran. In 2004, his gunmen began an uprising against American troops in Baghdad and British forces in the Shia heartland of southern Iraq and Mr Sadr briefly became the leading opponent of the foreign occupation.

But his militia suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Iraq’s new army last year and Mr Sadr’s followers have since turned to mainstream politics.

Maybe Obama will hold talks with this killer, too?

Hateful Feminist Gloria Feldt Savages Miss California (Video)

by Gateway Pundit | 8:08 pm, May 1, 2009

Hateful Leftist and suspect feminist Gloria Feldt came on The O’Reilly Factor tonight to discuss the attacks on Miss California Carrie Prejean.

Feldt opens up by slandering Laura Ingraham saying that Laura had attacked her in the past… This didn’t go over well with Laura who didn’t even know who she was until tonight. Feldt then attacks Miss California’s looks and breast implants.
What a class act.
The “feminist” said attacking Prejean, and evidently her breasts, was “fair game.”

Laura Ingraham let her have it:

Feldt is a liar.
She slandered Laura Ingraham. She then attacked Miss California for her “breast implants paid for by the pageant.”
Feldt said Miss California has “unfortunately become fair game.”
…Including attacks on her breasts?

Nice job Feldt.
You sound as crazy, angry and deranged as Perez Hilton.

Related… The Anchoress- Now there’s a feminist.

Dem Leader Celebrates– Obama Healthcare Plan Will Destroy Insurance Industry (Video)

by Gateway Pundit | 7:09 pm, May 1, 2009

Far Left Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) Admits Obama Healthcare Plan Will Destroy Insurance Industry

The Illinois Stalinist celebrated the coming Obama healthcare plan that will destroy private insurance industry:

Via Breitbart

From the video:
“I know many of you here today are single payer advocates and so am I… and those of us who are pushing for a public health insurance don’t disagree with this goal. This is not a principled fight. This is a fight about strategy for getting there and I believe we will,” Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) told a group of government-run health care supporters on April 18.

The liberal Congress passed legislation this week that will allow democrats to use a powerful procedural tool known as reconciliation to advance the Obama’s plan for socialized healthcare without fear of a Republican filibuster.

Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki: Captured Al Qaeda Leader Has Close Ties to Saddam Regime

by Gateway Pundit | 4:39 pm, May 1, 2009

Funny. This wasn’t the headline in The New York Times.
It was buried down in the article.

Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Omar al-Baghdadi has close ties to the Saddam regime.
Hmm. Maybe Iraq wasn’t the wrong war then?

Undated handout released April 28, 2009, shows Abu Omar al-Baghdadi. Iraq has confirmed the identity of a suspect captured last week as Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, believed to be head of the Islamic State of Iraq, an al Qaeda-linked group, the Defence Ministry said on Monday. (REUTERS)

The New York Times published an article this week on the capture of Al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Omar al-Baghdadi. In the report Iraqi Prime Minister told reporters that Al-Baghdadi had close ties with the Saddam Hussein regime.
The New York Times reported:

Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki said Tuesday that Iraqi forces had recently arrested a leader of the Sunni insurgency who had been in league with members of Saddam Hussein’s ousted Baath Party.

Iraqi officials say the insurgent, Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, is the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella group that includes Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, the homegrown group that American intelligence officials say is led by foreigners.

The government has not provided proof of his capture since announcing the arrest on Thursday, beyond showing a photograph of a man with a trimmed beard wearing a black T-shirt. In 2007, Iraqi officials announced twice that Mr. Baghdadi had been captured and killed. A spokesman for the United States military, which has suggested that he might not exist, said Tuesday that the military could still not confirm his arrest.

Mr. Maliki, who spoke out Tuesday on the arrest for the first time, has increased his anti-Baathist language in recent weeks and has resisted American pressure to reconcile with more approachable members of the party. Many analysts say they believe that he is under pressure from his Shiite partners in the government, some of them allied with Iran.

“This terrorist had deep ties with the former regime and created with its followers a devil’s pact reflected in bloody scenes of carnage involving innocent children and women and the elderly,” Mr. Maliki said.

His statement coincided with the birthday of Mr. Hussein, who would have turned 72 and was executed in 2006…

In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation on Monday, Mr. Maliki said all of the recent attacks had resulted from coordination between Qaeda militants and elements of Mr. Hussein’s Baathists.

“They agreed that Al Qaeda would carry out the suicide attacks, while the Baathists would do the remote-control bombs,” he said.

This is not the first time that we have heard about Saddam Hussein’s links to Al-Qaeda.
The Iraqi newspaper Kurdistani Nwe published a letter in June 2008 on the front page from Saddam Hussein requesting a meeting with Al-Qaeda second in command Ayman Al-Zawahiri:

The letter was posted today on the MEMRI blog:

MEMRI reported on this letter from 2002:

The Kurdish daily Kurdistani Nwe has published a 2002 letter from the Iraqi presidency that it says proves that there was cooperation between the regime of Saddam Hussein and Al-Qaeda.

The letter, which appeared on the paper’s front page, was published by the intelligence apparatus of the Iraqi presidency and discussed an intention to meet with Ayman Al-Zawahiri in order to examine a plan drawn up by the Iraqi presidency to carry out a “revenge operation” in Saudi Arabia.

A letter published in the Kurdish news shows that Iraqi tyrant Saddam Hussein (right) reached out to Al-Qaeda’s number two man Ayman Al-Zawahiri (left). Saddam wanted a meeting to discuss a revenge operation he was planning in Saudi Arabia.

Remember this the next time you see a mainstream media report claiming there was no links between Saddam and Al-Qaeda.

Previously:
Picture Proof: The Saddam-Al Qaeda Connections
NYT: Saddam Was a Year Away from Building A-Bomb!
The Saddam-Al Qaeda Links: In Photos and Video
Bush Did Not Lie!… Saddam Officials Had “Good Relationship” With Zarqawi
Iraqis Publish More Proof Of Saddam Links To Al-Qaeda Leadership

Counterterrorism Expert McCarthy Declines Team Obama Invite

by Gateway Pundit | 4:26 pm, May 1, 2009

This was the right decision.
Counterterrorism expert Andrew C. McCarthy declined a recent invitation by Team Obama to participate in a roundtable meeting with Obama officials to discuss identify lawful policies on the detention and disposition of alien enemy combatants.
National Review Institute reported:

Dear Attorney General Holder:

This letter is respectfully submitted to inform you that I must decline the invitation to participate in the May 4 roundtable meeting the President’s Task Force on Detention Policy is convening with current and former prosecutors involved in international terrorism cases. An invitation was extended to me by trial lawyers from the Counterterrorism Section, who are members of the Task Force, which you are leading.

The invitation email (of April 14) indicates that the meeting is part of an ongoing effort to identify lawful policies on the detention and disposition of alien enemy combatants—or what the Department now calls “individuals captured or apprehended in connection with armed conflicts and counterterrorism operations.” I admire the lawyers of the Counterterrorism Division, and I do not question their good faith. Nevertheless, it is quite clear—most recently, from your provocative remarks on Wednesday in Germany—that the Obama administration has already settled on a policy of releasing trained jihadists (including releasing some of them into the United States). Whatever the good intentions of the organizers, the meeting will obviously be used by the administration to claim that its policy was arrived at in consultation with current and former government officials experienced in terrorism cases and national security issues. I deeply disagree with this policy, which I believe is a violation of federal law and a betrayal of the president’s first obligation to protect the American people. Under the circumstances, I think the better course is to register my dissent, rather than be used as a prop.

Moreover, in light of public statements by both you and the President, it is dismayingly clear that, under your leadership, the Justice Department takes the position that a lawyer who in good faith offers legal advice to government policy makers—like the government lawyers who offered good faith advice on interrogation policy—may be subject to investigation and prosecution for the content of that advice, in addition to empty but professionally damaging accusations of ethical misconduct. Given that stance, any prudent lawyer would have to hesitate before offering advice to the government…

…I’ve always believed defending our nation is a duty of citizenship, not ideology. Thus, my conservative political views aside, I’ve made myself available to liberal and conservative groups, to Democrats and Republicans, who’ve thought tapping my experience would be beneficial. It pains me to decline your invitation, but the attendant circumstances leave no other option.

Very truly yours,
Andrew C. McCarthy

cc:Sylvia T. Kaser and John DePue
National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section

Obama Relies On Far Left Crank For Churchill Quote… Gets Burned

by Gateway Pundit | 4:22 pm, May 1, 2009

I was struck by an article that I was reading the other day talking about the fact that the British during World War II, when London was being bombed to smithereens, had 200 or so detainees. And Churchill said, ‘We don’t torture,’ when the entire British–all of the British people–were being subjected to unimaginable risk and threat….the reason was that Churchill understood — you start taking shortcuts, over time, that corrodes what’s best in a people. It corrodes the character of a country.

President Barack Obama
100 Day Press Conference
LA Times Blogs

At the 100 day press conference, ABC Reporter Jake Tapper asked President Obama tonight if the previous administration used torture:

President Obama was so impressed with Winston Churchill (although he sent his bust back to Britain) that he quoted the great leader as saying, “We don’t torture.”
Wonderful!

As reported earlier, the president must have forgotten about these German prisoners at Bad Nenndorf, near Hanover:

For almost 60 years, the evidence of Britain’s clandestine torture programme in postwar Germany has lain hidden in the government’s files. Harrowing photographs of young men who had survived being systematically starved, as well as beaten, deprived of sleep and exposed to extreme cold, were considered too shocking to be seen.

Today, Power Line has more.
Not only did Barack Obama mess up his World War II history…
He made it up:

While it’s nice to hear the President invoke Sir Winston, the quotation is unattributed and almost certainly incorrect. While Churchill did express such sentiments with regard to prison inmates, he said no such thing about prisoners of war, enemy combatants or terrorists, who were in fact tortured by British interrogators during World War II.

The word “torture” appears 156 times in my digital transcript of Churchill’s 15 million published words (books, articles, speeches, papers) and 35 million words about him–but not once in the subject context. Similarly, key phrases like “character of a country” or “erodes the character” do not track…

Churchill spoke frequently about torture, mostly enemy murders of civilians. His daughter once told me, “He would have done anything to win the war, and I daresay he had to do some pretty rough things–but they didn’t unman him.” But if Churchill is on record about “enhanced interrogation,” his words have yet to surface.

Power Line adds:

Obama apparently relied on left-wing internet crank Andrew Sullivan for the fake Churchill quote, which is a bit worrisome in itself.

Sure enough. Obama got his Churchill talking points from Far Left crank Andrew Sullivan.
Why is this not surprising?

More… Jonah Goldberg offers Obama some advice on his sources.

Arvada in the News – Colorado

by Mr. Bob | 4:07 pm, May 1, 2009

#redco #spending

Arvada, my home town is in the local news this week twice which is unusual. One is a funny story about a cowboy ticketed for drunk horse riding.

The other is not so funny. FTS investigation: Arvada redevelopment project sits mostly vacant, costing taxpayers nearly $800,000

Special district transparency passes

by Amy Oliver | 3:48 pm, May 1, 2009

Things happen fast this time of year at the General Assembly.  Seems like COST just reported that SB 87, increased accountability requirements for special taxing districts, passed the House Finance Committee.  And now more good news.  Senator Morgan Carroll’s bill unanimously passed the full House.  All that’s left is a signature from the Governor.
COST wants to thank [...]

Colorado Should Buck Federal Rollback of Union Financial Disclosure Rules

by Ben DeGrow | 3:37 pm, May 1, 2009

A few months ago I told you about rumored plans that the Obama administration and new Labor Secretary Hilda Solis would relax financial disclosure rules for labor union leaders. Well, they are rumors no longer.
Listen to a new iVoices podcast I recorded with Scott Dilley about the federal disclosure rollback and what it means for [...]

Here it comes public (socialist) health care

by Mr. Bob | 2:49 pm, May 1, 2009

#hhrs #tcot #No bones about it. They WANT to destroy the private system, not fix it.

This should scare the hell out of you.

Vacation time and guest bloggers

by Mr. Bob | 12:11 pm, May 1, 2009

#tcot #ppc #colorado #redco #hhrs
I am outta here for a couple weeks, a little vacation, a little Active Duty for the Navy but probably no blogging. However, in my absence fellow Rocky Mountain Alliance member and PPC writer Michael from Slapstick Politics will be guest blogging…thanks!

Friday’s Funny from Steven Crowder a comprehensive list of liberals we can respect.

State transparency moves forward

by Amy Oliver | 11:12 am, May 1, 2009

Yesterday HB 1288 the Colorado Taxpayer Transparency Act passed the Senate Finance Committee with a unanimous vote to recommend it to the Senate Appropriations.  A few words of reassurance from the Office of Information Technology were enough to persuade anti-transparency legislators who aren’t thrilled about divulging how the state spends your money. 
Just this morning Senate Appropriations approved [...]

No more bailouts, Br’er Durbin?!?

by Rossputin | 8:52 am, May 1, 2009

Yesterday saw a rare victory for the free markets and the sanctity of private contracts: By a 51-45 vote, the Senate defeated a measure championed by Democratic Senator Dick Durbin (Illinois) which would have allowed judges to reduce the principle amount of a mortgage on a primary residence during a bankruptcy proceeding. Twelve Democrats, including Arlen Specter, voted against the plan.

The idea was typical Democrat fare, representing a complete lack of understanding of the importance of contracts. Can you imagine the chilling effect on the mortgage industry if lenders had to figure into their interest rate determinations the probability that they would be forced by judges to lose money on loans? If you were a bank and you knew that some percentage of your loan portfolio would be forced into greater-than-necessary losses by judges, you would have to increase the interest rate you charge on every loan – or at least every loan to people who don’t have absolutely stellar credit – in order to make sure you’re maintaining the return on capital you need to justify being in business.

In other words, Durbin’s program would have made home ownership more difficult for millions of moderate income earners who would be trying to buy a home, often a first home, in order to let judges interfere in the voluntarily-made contracts between a much smaller number of prior home buyers and lenders. Durbin’s plan was thus not actually an attempt to help the housing market (as if that were a proper role of government anyway) as much as it was another step toward government involvement in and control of as much of our economic lives as possible. This is the true goal of today’s Democratic Party and the common thread among all their economic policies.

There was an important lesson during the discussions between Durbin and the industry: The only bank to support the plan was Citigroup, i.e. the recipient of the most TARP money, a company which gave 61% of its 2008 political contributions to Democrats, and a company which, because of its soon-to-be-completed conversion of preferred equity to common stock, will be 36% owned by the Federal Government. They do us the occasional courtesy of saying the stake will be “taxpayer owned”, but we all know just how much respect we-the-people will garner during closed-door discussions of how the bank should operate, which is to say none at all.

This unholy alliance between the federal government and the corporate Board Room is the essence of economic fascism. Citigroup’s behavior certainly pleased Durbin; it would have pleased Mussolini as well. The company’s support of a plan which would likely be a negative for its shareholders but pleasing to its left-wing political champions is a stark reminder that government “bailouts”, particularly when ongoing participation is clearly, despite all administration rhetoric, not intended to be temporary, is an unvarnished disaster for the principles of economic liberty and the realities of day to day life in a free-market system.

So, as if the defeat of Durbin’s ill-conceived plan weren’t a tasty enough meal for a starved minority of congressional fiscal conservatives, Durbin himself offered a delicious dessert: According to a Roll Call story, Durbin said the following on the Senate floor following defeat of his measure: “This Senator wants to put the banking interests on notice. I am not going to be a party to shoveling billions more in taxpayers’ dollars your way if you won’t lift a finger to help these people who are facing foreclosure across America today.”

What? No more bailouts?!? Please, Br’er Durbin, don’t throw us into that briar patch!

In a sense, I understand Durbin’s frustration: Anyone who gives enormous amounts of money to a corporation expects some level of influence over that corporation, roughly proportionate to the size of the financial contribution. The problem is that the investor/lender in this case is the government, and that changes everything. Since the money government hands out in bailouts isn’t actually the politicians’ money, the politicians’ goals could frequently be antithetical to building shareholder value. As Milton Friedman warned, there’s no less responsible spender of money than someone who is spending someone else’s money on things to benefit yet another party. A spends B’s money on C….do you think A or C really care about B? And YOU are B.

Durbin is frustrated that his support of bank bailouts didn’t make him the Senate’s effective bank czar, with recipients of his largesse (in the form of our money) groveling at his feet, willing to accede to demands – demands which non-government investors would never make – that would diminish the companies’ profitability.

Many banks took TARP money, but only Citigroup – the sole bank likely to have massive government ownership of voting stock – caved in to Durbin’s pressure. Other banks realized that their primary duty is to their shareholders. Citi decided that sucking on the teat of the TARP is more important than their bottom line or their fiduciary responsibility. Alternatively, maybe their decision to fawn at Durbin’s feet was made considering their financial situation, leaving one to wonder about Citigroup’s financial stability.

I don’t believe that Senator Durbin won’t support giving taxpayer money to banks or other corporations in the future. Instead, he’ll just work to ensure that his ability to control those corporations is cemented before he’ll sign off on any deal. The good news is that corporations have seen the true nature of these bailouts: When you make a deal with the devil, you’re always the junior partner.

HB 1299 is Dead, Long Live Electoral College & Colorado’s Political Relevance

by Ben DeGrow | 7:01 am, May 1, 2009

A close call: House Bill 1299 — Colorado Democrats’ attempt to subvert the Electoral College wisdom of the Founders — happily has died. Thanks to senators on both sides of the aisle (including my own Democrat state senator Moe Keller) for putting an end to this bad idea.
But HB 1299 went further and lasted longer [...]

The Obama Disaster -By The Numbers

by Gateway Pundit | 6:46 am, May 1, 2009

Hope and Change–
The US economy enjoyed 7 straight years of unimpeded economic growth during the Bush years. The Bush tax cuts lifted the country out of its recession until the mortgage bubble erupted and the economy took a sudden nosedive in last half of 2008– something Bush repeatedly warned Congress about.

Unlike Bush, President Obama decided to spend his way out of his recession.
Here’s how it’s worked out:

Economists expected a 5 percent annualized decline in the first quarter but instead saw the economy drop by 6.1%.

Despite the recession he inherited, 9-11, stock market scandals, Hurricane Katrina and two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the unemployment rate during the Bush years averaged out to 5.27%.

(Numbers from the US Misery Index)
The Obama unemployment rate is at 8.07%.

Spending- The federal government spent a record $11.1 trillion during Bush’s last year in office:

(USA Today graph)
Obama will spend $15.3 trillion in 2009.
This is an increase of $4.2 trillion or 37%.

And, then there are the deficit and debt numbers…
President Bush was able to bring the US deficit down 3 of his 8 years in office:

Barack Obama will quadruple the deficit this year.

More… Factory orders tumble.

Michelle “Americans Are Downright Mean” Obama Less Popular Than Laura Bush

by Gateway Pundit | 6:12 am, May 1, 2009

The liberal media remake of Michelle “Americans Are Downright Mean” Obama is doing wonders for her image.
She’s the most beloved figure in her husband’s administration.

But, even with the constant toadying by the media the fist-bumping radical is still less popular than Laura Bush.

Related… It looks like Michelle Obama shot her rebate wad on some shoes:

The kicks, made by high-end French fashion label Lanvin, cost $540.
Actually, the shoes cost more than the Obama taxcut of $400 per person.

Previously on Gloomy Michelle Obama:
** Michelle Obama Decides After 44 Years She Finally Can Stomach the US
** Michelle Obama’s “Proud of My Country” Twofer (Video)
** Michelle Obama: “We’re a Country That’s Downright Mean”
** Oops!… She Did It Again- Michelle Obama Bashes Ignorant America! (Video)
** “You’re alone in your failure.” (Get me more white people!)
** “We’re Guided By Fear… We’re a Nation of Cynics, Sloths and Complacents”
** ” We’re Taught to Keep It All In, Suffer, Just Hold It Down”
** Surprise!… Michelle Obama’s Old Boss Says She Was Non-Stop Complainer
** Tacky Michelle Obama & Liberal Media Diss Laura Bush
** Michelle Obama Surprised to Find Americans Were Not So “Downright Mean” As She Thought

Press the Restart Button: 100 Days of SOS Hillary Clinton

by Gateway Pundit | 5:22 am, May 1, 2009

Today marks the first 100 Days for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
If only we could press the restart button.

After observing the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe inside the Basilica de Guadalupe in Mexico City Mrs. Clinton asked Msgr. Monroy, “Who painted it?” to which he responded “God!”
…Oh.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R in red) listens to priest Diego Monrroy in front of an image of the Virgin of Guadalupe inside the Basilica de Guadalupe in Mexico City March 26, 2009. Clinton said on Wednesday the United States and Mexico were making headway on efforts to resolve a dispute over Mexican trucks operating in the United States. (REUTERS/Henry Romero)

With the Pakistani Government near collapse, violence surging in Iraq, flu surging from Mexico across the border, Iran developing nukes, North Korea restarting their nuke program, Syria and Turkey holding joint military maneuvers, China penetrating the US defense systems, Russia threatening Eastern Europe, the Taliban surging in Afghanistan and lurching towards the Pakistani capital of Islamabad…
The State Department website released this glowing 100 Day report:

OVERALL DEPARTMENT POLICY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, REGULATORY INITIATIVES, AND INTERAGENCY EFFORTS

In the first 100 Days of the Obama Administration, Secretary Clinton and the State Department have made significant progress in advancing America’s national security goals and promoting America’s values around the world.

Secretary Clinton is already the most traveled Secretary of State in a new Administration. The Secretary’s trips have included her inaugural trip to Asia, the Middle East and Europe, Mexico and across the border to Texas, the Hague in the Netherlands, Europe with President Obama, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago with President Obama, and to Iraq and Kuwait.

The work undertaken on these trips, the many bilateral and trilateral meetings hosted by Secretary Clinton, and the tireless efforts of others throughout the State Department have contributed to early and significant progress on the following priorities: Afghanistan/Pakistan policy, the Middle East, Iraq, Asia, Russia, North Korea, the Western Hemisphere, the climate crisis, engaging in public diplomacy, and other core issues.

Funny, the State Department didn’t mention the “restart button” incident.
Hillary thought she was giving Russia a “restart” button.
Instead it was an “overcharge” button.”:

Nice work, Hillary.
Hopefully, the next 100 days will go better.

PS: From the above statement does the State Department think Texas is in a different country?

Media bias in reporting Obama’s first 100 days

by Rossputin | 1:48 am, May 1, 2009

As Ben DeGrow points out, Denver Post reporter Mike Riley makes two major errors in his article about Barack Obama’s first 100 days, both of which are common subtle versions of media’s injection of liberal bias by misstatement or elimination of context.

First, Riley describes Obama’s actions so far as “bigger, bolder, and far more risky than anything he articulated in his historic campaign.” (We’ll leave for another time a discussion of why a new reporter feels the need to fawn over a politician with words like “historic”.) Given Obama’s campaign promises to raise taxes on upper-income workers, to attack the fossil fuel industry, to use taxpayer money to bail out homeowners, to try to eliminate the necessity of a secret ballot to unionize a company, to socialize our health care system, and to be much friendlier with America-hating tyrants, it is only someone who didn’t listen to Obama during his campaign who could find anything the Administration is doing now unexpected.

Second, Riley proves Mark Twain’s quote that “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics” when he discusses President Obama’s current poll ratings. Riley says that the nation “appears to approve”, given a Gallup survey which gives Obama a 56% favorable rating. Riley’s misuse of statistics in just this one article show how many ways there are to prove Twain correct.

Riley does not put the 56% number in any context. Depending on the comparison, Obama comes out either slightly better or slightly worse than recent presidents, but overall, as Gallup notes regarding a similar poll, Obama’s “approval level is solidly positive, although not extraordinary in historical terms.”

Riley does not mention other polls, such as the daily Rasmussen series, which has Obama hovering around a net “strongly approve” versus “strongly disapprove” level of +4 over the past 10 days, down from solid double digits two months earlier. Nor does he note the Rasmussen poll regarding the “generic Congressional ballot” having Republicans ahead of Democrats “for just the second time in more than five years of daily or weekly tracking.”

And finally, Riley somehow missed the poll data (from the very same Gallup poll he cites) which contradicts his “bigger, bolder” claim: “The majority of all three major partisan groups say Obama has done about as they expected as president.”

Rather than journalism, the dominant liberal media writes hagiographies about President Obama, making misleading claims about his record and misusing statistics to paint the rosiest possible picture – things which would have been unimaginable in their presidential coverage just a year ago. As if Mike Riley’s reporting weren’t biased enough, the Denver Post begins the article with a picture of a smiling Obama and a caption saying that “Obama has been compared to another Illinois politician, Abraham Lincoln…”, but that too is a discussion for another day.

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